Shortening measure



Sept. 20, 1955 J. B. BUCK, JR 2,718,060

SHORTENING MEASURE Filed May 3, 1954 James B. Buck, Jr.

INVENTOR.

United States Patent SHORTENING MEASURE James B. Buck, Jr., Dallas, Tex.

Application May 3, 1954, Serial No. 427,075

Claims. (Cl. 3132) The present invention relates to improvements in kitchen utensils, generally speaking, and has more particular reference to a structurally and functionally novel adaptation expressly devised for aptly and satisfactorily measuring and handling shortening, heretofore an exasperating, time consuming and often unpleasant chore.

Stated more specifically, the subject matter of the invention has to do with an attractive and unique kitchen implement which is suitably and satisfactorily adapted to fill the needs when one desires to measure shortening and butter and the like quickly and cleanly and, at the same time, with waste reduced to an acceptable minimum, an implement which, it is believed, will meet with widespread adoption and acceptance by manufacturers, retailers and sellers of housewares, and the average housewife.

It is a matter of common knowledge that shortening is, indeed, a nuisance to handle when measuring the same for a predetermined cooking or other purpose. Certain methods of handling and measuring make it necessary to fill or pack cylindrical receptacles then, in turn, to dig and scrape them out again, these techniques being slow, untidy and wasteful. In carrying out the principles of the present invention, a novel implement is provided and is characterized by an elongated V-shaped trough which is easy to fill, invert and otherwise handle. Of greater advantage, in this new construction is the process of removing the shortening from the receptacle portion of the V- shaped trough, the latter being used in conjunction with an upstanding blade on a cooperating base fitting exactly into the receptacle portion and removing all of the shortening in one simple stroke, leaving a mere film of the substance adhering to the interior surfaces of the walls of the trough.

Then, too, novelty is predicated on the advantages derived from the construction which lends itself to easy washing and cleaning. That is to say, the complemental or cooperating components of the over-all instrumentality provide fiat easily accessible surfaces which are obviously much easier to wash than cup-like receptacles, and, in the first place, will contain a lot less residue from the measuring procedure.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the scoop member;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the base member;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken through the scoop and base members showing the same in operative position; and

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section taken through the assembly shown in Figure 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the scoop member is indicated generally by the reference character and will be seen to consist of an elongated por- "ice tion having opposite side walls 12 and 14 forming a substantially V-shaped trough. The trough walls 12 and 14 are reduced in height in the opposite end of the scoop member to provide a handle portion 16 therefor.

The base assembly is indicated generally by the reference character 18 and it will be seen that the main plate portion 20 thereof is of generally elongated rectangular configuration and is provided with an upstanding flange 22 along one longitudinal edge portion thereof and is provided on its bottom surface with a depending handle portion 23. Along the opposite edge portion of the plate portion 20 is marked or scribed a base line 24 from which the transverse markings 26 extend. These markings are provided with suitable indicia indicating units of cups and tablespoons for a purpose which will be presently apparent. At one end of the base member is an upstanding blade 28 which conforms exactly with the cross sectional area of the trough portion of the scoop such that when the parts are nested as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the free edges of the trough wall portions 12 and 14 will rest upon the base plate 20 while the free edges of the blade 28 will be engaged against the inner surface of the trough.

To use the assembly, the base 18 is held by its handle 23 in one hand and the user holds the scoop 10 in the other hand and scoops a quantity of shortening into the trough portion thereof, this quantity being an amount calculated, by observance of the base markings, to extend slightly beyond the desired measurement when deposited upon the base. The scoop member is then inverted onto the base member in the manner shown in Figure 3 and the scoop member is then drawn across the base member in the direction of the arrow in Figure 3 such that the blade member will transfer the shortening from the trough onto the base plate 20. During this operation, the free edge of the wall 14 of the trough is, of course, engaged against the flange 22 of the base. The shortening thus deposited onto the base is then squared or trimmed off by passing a knife down through the shortening at the marking that indicates the measurement desired by the user and the surplus, or that shortening resting beyond and to the left of the desired measurement, removed with the knife and discarded into the original container. At that time the exact amount of shortening desired by the user will be resting upon the base member ready for transfer, by means of a knife or spatula, to the users mixing bowl. The entire operation is performed quickly in a matter of a few seconds. Should the user so desire, the trough member may be filled by transferring the shortening from its original container to the trough by means of a knife or spatula, rather than by scooping, and the shape of the scoop member provides for easy filling by this method. With respect to the markings on the base member 20, it will be noted that the base line 24 and indicia 26 are disposed to one side of the shortening, as it rests on the base member, and are thus easily discernible.

It will be evident that the device, in an over-all sense, is characterized by two complemental or companion parts, preferably wherein the part 10 is preferably but not necessarily, a clear plastic V-shaped so-called scoop member with extended and reduced walls forming the forementioned handle 16, the base member 18 being preferably but not necessarily, white plastic suitably marked with red or outstanding measuring graduations such as those most commonly used in household cookmg.

It will also be noticed that the scoop sides are basically rectangular in shape and unvarying in height throughout the length thereof. This construction is desirable in that it makes it possible to obtain a dimensionally perfect mold of shortening which may be deposited as a mound blade against the mass of shortening.

upon the base member. If the wall portions were rounded off and of reduced height at the front they would not sufiiciently encompass the mass of shortening to be transferred to the base, either before, or during the transfer step and thus would not properly form the mass preliminary to transfer nor would they maintain the shape of the mass as the transfer action takes place. The wall portions of the handle are formed by undeviating extensions from the scoop sides in identical planes, and, of course, the trough and trough-shaped handle must be open and unobstructed throughout the entire length. The fact that the handle is channel shaped like the scoop portion, lends it for proper adoption and use in conjunction with the triangular blade 28 since the construction enables the user in engaging the two parts of the measure preparatory to transfer action to properly align the parts and seat the upstanding blade somewhat within the handle section before moving the This is advantageous, especially when the scoop is completely filled with shortening, as is often the case. And, in addition these features oifer a grip that is best suited for the scooping and inverting actions required by the technique involved.

may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the ap- I pended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A shortening measure comprising, in combination, a base having measuring indicia thereon, a complemental scoop member adapted to contain a quantity of shortening, means on said base cooperating with said scoop memher for dislodging, scraping and thus cleanly transferring shortening from said scoop onto said base in a predetermined shape thereon as the scoop is engaged with and drawn along the cooperating surfaces of the base, where- 'by the desired quantity of shortening, as indicated by the indicia on the base, may be subsequently removed from the base for use.

2. A shortening measure comprising a generally rectangular, elongated base, said base having an upstanding flange along one side, a scoop member having an elongated open ended shortening receiving trough, said scoop member being adapted to be inverted and slidingly mounted atop said base with one edge of said trough engaged against and slidingly contacting said flange, an upstanding blade fixed on one end of said base and shaped to conform with the cross-sectional shape of said trough, whereby to project into and transfer shortening from said trough to said base as the scoop is drawn along the base toward said upstanding blade, and indicia on said base for indicating predetermined amounts of shortening thus transferred.

3. A base for a shortening measure comprising an elongated sheet of material having an upstanding flange along one side thereof, an upstanding blade formed on one end of said sheet of material, said blade being of triangular configuration with its base corresponding to the said one end of the sheet, and measuring indicia provided on the upper face of said sheet adjacent the side opposite said flange.

4. For handy and expedient use in the kitchen or elsewhere and serving, when in use, to assist one in neatly handling and effectually measuring a required amount of shortening, butter, and the like; measuring means comprising, in combination, a flat faced base having a handle fixed thereon, provided along one lengthwise edge with an upstanding guiding and assembling flange, provided along an opposite lengthwise edge with readily viewable measuring indicia and provided at one transverse end with a fixed upstanding assembling, guiding, dislodging and scraping blade, and a complemental base loading scoop embodying an open ended trough having walls resting slidably in contact upon the flat load receptive surface of said base, and a handle integral with and aligned with said trough, said blade projecting into said trough, one wall of said trough having sliding contact with said flange.

5. The structure defined in claim 4 and wherein said said trough is as long as said base, is of a width less than the width of said base, and is V-shaped in cross-section, said blade being likewise and correspondingly V-shaped in form. 

